MANOAH ESIPISU, Harare | Wednesday 6.00pm.
TWO journalists and a newspaper executive appeared in court in Harare on Wednesday on charges of criminal defamation over a report on a controversial draft constitution.
Former acting editor of the Standard newspaper, Andy Moyse, managing director Clive Wilson and reporter Chengetai Zvauya were granted bail by magistrate Remigias Jemwa until March 24.
1.00pm.
Zimbabwe police arrested three journalists on Wednesday over a story in a private weekly newspaper questioning last week’s referendum on a draft constitution.
The story alleged that the text of the draft constitution favoured by the government of President Robert Mugabe had already been printed before a nationwide exercise to gather opinions on it had even been completed.
Mugabe suffered a humiliating defeat last week when the draft, which critics said retained his sweeping executive powers and ignored public demands for extensive reforms, was rejected in a referendum.
Two other Standard journalists, Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto, are expected to go on trial in July on charges of publishing in January 1999 an allegedly false story about a coup attempt.
23